Double standards trump school spirit

Chloe Alverson ‘17, Sarah Fuzi ‘17- Receiving new uniforms this year, the Varsity football team now boasts tighter jerseys with shorter sleeves. The players’ jerseys ride up, revealing their shoulders. While the cheer and dance teams must abide by the “no shoulders showing because they’re distracting” rule, forcing them to change out of their seemingly inappropriate uniforms, football players are not required to change out of, or wear anything under, a jersey. It seems that the rule does not apply to the male gender.

“It never really bothered me before, but now that the football team can wear a jersey that shows just as much, if not more, makes me a little mad,” Abbey Keller ‘16 said. Keller, captain of the Romeo Varsity Dance Team, explained that RVDT’s short-sleeved uniforms cannot be worn at school because the girls’ shoulders would show.

The football team weren’t the only ones to rock fresh attire this fall. Romeo Varsity Cheer recently got new uniforms as well. However, the outfits come with one catch: when at school, a long-sleeved bodysuit must be worn underneath, covering the shoulders.

The school approved of the design before the cheerleading uniforms were bought, thus knowing how they would look. Once school started, cheerleaders were instructed to wear a bodysuit underneath, even though administrators knew that the uniforms didn’t cover shoulders. The football team did the same things for their uniforms, yet were not scolded for the showing of shoulders.

“I think that it’s fair, because the jersey capped sleeves,” Dakota O’Neil ‘17 said. O’Neil, a football player, doesn’t see the issue with the boys’ new jerseys.

They were not told or ordered to change their uniforms.

The dress code applies to all students, regardless of gender. Everyone must follow the rules and abide to them.